Westport To Install Two Flock Cameras This Month
Two Flock cameras are coming to Westport this month. According to Westport acting Chief Matthews, one camera will be installed on Montesano Street near the school. The second will be installed in the 2800 block of Forrest near the "T." While Westport Police says these cameras can aid in finding criminals or stolen cars, they have become the source of significant controversy across the state.
Flock Camera image from Flock Safety website
What Are Flock Cameras?
Flock Safety cameras are a type of automatic license plate reader (ALPR). They sit near roads and continuously take photos of passing cars. Instead of an officer monitoring vehicles and looking up plates individually, the cameras do it automatically and store that information in a large database.
Police can enter data like plate numbers or vehicle descriptions, and if a camera captures a matching vehicle, it sends a real-time alert to officers. The cameras can even search for specific characteristics, such as vehicle make, model, color, or features like body damage or bumper stickers.
Across Washington and the rest of the country, police departments use these systems to help track vehicles tied to crimes. For example, they might try to find a stolen truck or a car linked to a burglary. This can help police work faster, especially in small towns like Westport, where only a few officers are on duty.
Flock is a private company, not a government agency. Police aren't the only ones using these camera systems. Neighborhoods, shopping centers, and local businesses can also install Flock cameras.
What a Flock camera can capture, image from Flock Safety website
Flock Controversy in the News
Across the state, Flock cameras have led to lawsuits, public records fights, and policy changes. The controversy stems from local police agencies sharing Flock's data with federal government agencies such as U.S. Border Patrol.
In October, the University of Washington Center for Human Rights discovered that "at least eight local law enforcement agencies appear to have enabled 1:1 sharing of their Flock Network with Border Patrol at some point during 2025, including Benton County Sheriff's Office and police departments in the cities of Arlington, Auburn, Lakewood, Richland, Sunnyside, Wenatchee, and Yakima."
Many of these agencies didn’t know that federal agencies had been accessing Washington state Flock data. KING 5 reported that Border Patrol and other federal agencies conducted thousands of searches on Washington Flock networks, raising concerns about compliance with Washington's Keep Washington Working Act, which restricts the use of state and local resources for civil immigration enforcement.
In November, Skagit County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Neidzwski ruled that Flock camera data qualifies as public records under Washington State law. This means citizens and journalists can request this surveillance data through public records requests.
Judge Neidzwski stated, "The Flock data do qualify as public records subject to the Public Records Act." The cities of Stanwood and Sedro-Woolley had tried to block a public records request for Flock camera footage, but the court denied that attempt.
Because of this ruling, some cities are turning off their Flock cameras entirely. Skamania County is one of them, with Sheriff Summer Scheyer expressing concerns that the court decision "is a threat to public safety, allowing access to anyone."
The city of Redmond turned off its Flock cameras before the November ruling. According to The Chronicle, "Redmond police turned off their city's Flock Safety cameras last week after masked, unidentified officers—later identified as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents—arrested seven people, at least three less than a mile from one or more of the city's cameras."
The Everett Herald reported that with all the recent controversy around Flock cameras, "State lawmakers and activists are drafting what could be Washington's first-ever legislation regulating automated license plate reader use."
According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, "ALPR surveillance systems are inherently vulnerable to both technical exploitation and human manipulation. Flock operates as a single point of failure that can compromise—and has compromised—the privacy of millions of Americans simultaneously."
Westport City Council Votes Not to Share Information
At the November 10th Westport City Council meeting, councilperson Melissa Huerta raised safety concerns about Flock cameras. The council voted unanimously not to share Flock data with federal immigration agencies.
Interim Chief Matthews said that Flock data may be shared with other police agencies. For example, if a car was stolen in Westport, they could share that information with Aberdeen, which also has a Flock camera. Earlier this year, the Aberdeen Flock camera assisted officers in locating a stolen vehicle, and the suspect was found to have a warrant out for a robbery.
What This Means for Westport
As Westport prepares to install these cameras, residents should be aware of both their intended benefits and the broader concerns being raised across Washington. While the technology can help locate stolen vehicles and assist in criminal investigations, the recent court ruling means that anyone could access Flock camera data collected in Westport through public records requests, including journalists, researchers, or private citizens.
For those with questions or concerns about the Flock cameras, Westport City Council meetings are held at 7pm on the second and last Monday of each month, and also at 1 pm on the third Thursday of each month. Meetings are held in the city council chambers located at 506 North Montesano Street.